Mazda Lineup IIHS Top Safety Picks

Three of Mazda vehicles are once again rated by the independent Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) as "Top Safety Pick " awardees for 2017. The 2017 Mazda CX-3 subcompact crossover SUV, Mazda 3 Sedan and Mazda 3 Sport, as well as the midsize Mazda 6 family sedan each aced a number of the IIHS's rigorous safety tests.

These tests included small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraint tests. For vehicles to receive a "Top Safety Pick " award they had to achieve a minimum of "Good" in these tests. The three Mazda vehicles also earned "Advanced" or "Superior" ratings in their front-crash prevention test thanks to the Smart City Brake Support automatic braking systems. Passing a stringent headlight evaluation allowed the three vehicles to earn the highest "Top Safety Pick " designation.

The 2017 CX-3's class exclusive adaptive LED headlights and the rigid SKYACTIV-CHASSIS used in all Mazda vehicles allowed all three of these vehicles to stand out from the crowd and take home top honours.

The 2017 Mazda CX-5 and Mazda CX-9 have not been tested yet but it would be no surprise if they also perform well in the IIHS' stringent safety evaluations.

The IIHS is an independent, non-governmental safety-testing organization, funded by the insurance industry. For more information, visit IIHS.org.